We’ve been appointed to work on the Crossrail!

People know the Flamgard brand for high integrity dampers but our engineering expertise and incredible customer service offering extends beyond this standard range.

So we’re especially proud to announce our involvement in London’s Crossrail project, supplying under platform extraction grilles as part of the construction of the new railway that will become known as the Elizabeth line when it opens through central London in 2018.

So what are under platform extraction grilles?

Often known as UPE grilles, these are adjustable multi-bladed louvres designed to be fitted beneath rail station platforms, providing ventilation to relieve airflow from the piston effect of trains travelling through the tunnels.

We’ve all felt that wind that precedes a train’s arrival on a tube station platform – it’s caused by the airflow around a train being confined by the tunnel walls and pushed ahead of the vehicle, creating positive pressure ahead and negative pressure behind.

The UPE grilles are installed between the track and a ventilation tunnel that runs beneath the station, to prevent overpressure in stations and aide in managing the flow of air throughout the underground network.

The UPE grilles are adjustable which allows commissioning engineers to alter the air flow from trackside to the ventilation tunnel, thereby optimising the environment and comfort of passengers. Flamgard’s UPE grilles have been designed specifically for this application and are built to the same exacting high standards as all Flamgard products.

About Crossrail

Crossrail is one of Europe’s largest infrastructure projects consisting of 21 miles of brand new twin-bore rail line running throughout central London. The project will create ten new stations, and the finished railway – which will be named the Elizabeth line when it opens in central London in 2018 – will be an accessible route of 40 stations from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

Why did ATC choose Flamgard?

Flamgard Calidair is known as the leading name in high integrity dampers and engineering. Our systems are designed to save lives on oil rigs and at nuclear facilities, and our design and manufacturing processes are rigorous in the extreme. The client, ATC, selected Flamgard following a competitive tender process prioritising value-for-money.

Our product will feature at the following stations (both east and westbound):